Electrical control switch for vehicles



April 28, 1931- E. HAYNswoRTH ETAL 1,802,647

Y ELECTRICAL CONTROL SWITCH FOR VEHICLES Filed oct. zo, 1925 A TTO Patented Apr. 1931 i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ETHEL H AYNSWOBTH AND MATTHEW FRANCIS HAYNSWORTH, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ELECIRICAL CONTROL SWITCH FOB 'VEHICLES Application led October 20, 1925. Seriall No. 63,589.

This invention relates to a circuit controltions to selectively close a circuit including ling system for vehicles and the apparatus the lamp bulbs of the signal devices. By used therewith and it may be used toopilluminatin the separate compartments of erate signals of the light type such as are the signal evice, suitable indication can be used as direction and stop signals for autogiven with reference to the steering of the 5X mobiles. An object of the invention is the vehicle. provision of means for automatically con- The arrangement in the figure shows the trolling a circuit by an inertia device mountlamp bulbs in each device connected in seriesv ed on, the steering wheel. Other objects of circuit. Starting at the battery 83 a return the invention reside in certain novel features circuit is provided on wire 84. The operating 60 in the construction of the device as more par- Circuit starting from wire 85 connects to the ticularly described in the following specificaswitch lever 95 which, when moved to the left tion and shown in the accompanying, drawenergizes wires 103 and 101. The circuit of n ing showing one arrangement of circuits and bulbs 33 and 74 iS COIlIleCted I1-SBI`eS by Wire *5 controlling devices according to this inven- 104. When the switch lever is moved to the 55 tion. right, wire 105 is energized and bulbs 34 and The use of light signals on the rear of auto- `73 are connected in series with this wire by mobiles for indicating when the vehicle is wire 106. When wire 101 is energized the about to turn or stop is quite common pracbulbs and 31 and bulbs 69 and 70 arecon- 20 tice. This invention may`be used with this nected in series-multiple on wire 102. 79

class of signal and the signal device embodies An inertia switch 107 may be used addithe tail light, direction light and a stop or tional to the manual control shown. This caution signal to be displayed as occasion de- Switch is Secured t0 One 0f the arms 0f the n mands. The direction light is'made up of steering wheel 93 as shown and comprises a a central portion or bar to which an arrow flat horizontal spring 108 with a weight 111 75 head is selectively displayed at either end acat its outer end. This spring is rigidly cording* to the direction 1n which the vehicle mounted at 110 so that the flat side is vertical is about to turn. and swings between the contacts 112 and 113.

These signal indications are controlled When the weight 111 swings to the left, wire 3 from a manually operated switch convenient- 103 is energized and when this weight swings 80 ly located on the steering wheel of the vehito the right wire 105 is ener ized producing cle. In addition to the manual control the directional signals accordingly. ,The weight direction signal may be controlled by an `111 is, preferably, placed away from the ceninertia switch mounted on the steering tre of the steering wheel so that as this wheel wheel so that the comparatively quick movemakes a quick turn the weight does not rement of this wheel for a turn will cause this spond owmg to its inertia and a circuit is switch to selectively close the circuit of the made between contacts 112 or 113 and 110. direction signal or other device for a short This circuit is established by the initial rapid 40 interval as thevehicle is about to turn. movement of the wheel and before the car The drawing shows a vehicle body indotted actually starts to turn, thus, should the operoutline moving in the direction of the arrow ator fail to operate the switch lever 95, this normally and having a signal device 81 in inertia switch will give the direction signal. front and another signal device 82 in the rear. It will be observed that the contacts 112 These signal devices give their indications and 113 are close to the fixed end 73108 by light in suitable compartments as hereinso that initial movements of weight""1'l1 ill 95 after described. lThe steering wheel 93 has not establish a circuit, such, for instandf-.as mounted thereon a hand switch 94 for conmight be obtained in directing a car around trolling the signal devices manually, and also other cars on the road. The operating point an automatic switch 107 embodying an inertia of this switch can be adjusted by the position device which operates under certain condiof the weight on the spring 108. As soon as 7M the tensionof the spring 108 has overcome the intertia of the Weight it is apparent that the circuit will be opened. It should be noted that the inertia spr1n 108 is freely mounted to swing both ways roIn the neutral position and after a movement of the steering wheel operating the signal, it is free to assume the neutral position or to swing to the opposite position upon restoring the steering Wheel for normal running; however, as the system is intended to indicate the desire of the driver to make a turn and the car follows the direction of the initial signal.

Having thus described our invention, We claim:

1. An electrical control switch for vehicles having a steering Wheel, comprising a vertical lat spring mounted horizontally on said steering wheel, in the normal line of movement of the vehicle, ixed at one end and Weighted at the opposite end and free to move by the inertia of said Weight and a contact i spaced from said spring near its fixed end connected with a circuit and arranged to cooperate With said spring in establishing said circuit.

2. vAn electrical control switch for vehicles having a steering wheel, comprising a spring member mounted horizontally on said steering wheel, in the normal line of movement of the vehicle, said spring being fixed at one end and Weighted at the o posite end and free to move by the intertia o said Weight and a contact spaced from said spring in its normal position and associated with a circuit and arranged to co-operate with said spring in controlling said circuit.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 17th day of October, A. D. 1925.

ETHEL HAYNSWRTH. MATTHEW FRANCIS HAYNSWORTH. 

